This invention relates to containers for holding candy, coins and the like, and more particularly to a quick opening and self closing container for holding large coins and candy pieces the size and shape of the common cylindrically shaped bubble gum or the well known chocolate HERSHEY'S.RTM. KISSES.TM., said container further being shaped to have a caricature appearance of a person's head and which may include a body for use as a doll.
The production and use of dolls and other ornaments resembling persons for providing children entertainment has been well known through the ages. Dolls and other such ornaments have included various caricature forms of people, animals and even angels. Early forms of this art included dolls made of clay and wood, which had many inherent disadvantages including that of being easily broken. Later versions included doll-like figurines made of metal, which were more durable but lacked the soft cushioney feeling desired by modern children. Modern versions of the doll have typically been made of a combination of cloth with a compressible stuffing and a resilient rubber-like material, and have been formed via the attachment of a head to a body via some sort of attaching means, some even having the head formed initially with the body as a unitary structure.
Another item that is a well known device for amusing children is the small carrying container for holding coins, keys or other such items. The use of containers for carrying such small items is well known in the art. Representative containers of this nature include the devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 744,391 (O'Shea), 820,067 (Richardson), and Re. 24,166 (Stiller). U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,628,169 (Berthold) and 4,966,305 (Hinterreiter) illustrate the additional use of small containers for holding candy. Although the devices so disclosed were designed to accomplish a particular purpose, they would not be as suitable to accomplish the purposes of the present invention. For example, none of the containers so disclosed would be suitable to hold pieces of candy the size and shape of the cylindrical bubble gum or the chocolate HERSHEY'S.RTM. KISSES.TM.. As well, none of these devices would be suitable for use as a doll. Although Berthold discloses a decorative container for holding "sucker"-type confectionery, said container does not include an enclosure suitable for holding coins, keys, candy pieces which do not include a stick shaped handle, or any other such loose articles. Richardson discloses the use of a resilient container in the form of an animal, however its mouth is too small to facilitate the receiving and removal of either large coins or the size of candy pieces with which the present invention is concerned. As well, neither of the inventions disclosed in Berthold or Richardson is suitable for using as a doll. Although Hinterreiter discloses a dispenser having an attached head which gives the dispenser the appearance of having a body, the dispenser is neither suitable for holding coins or the size of candy pieces with which the present invention is concerned, nor is it suitable for use as a modern doll in that it is made of a hard or brittle plastic material rather than the resilient rubber-like and cloth materials used in most modern dolls. It is a purpose of the present invention to address these inadequacies of the prior art.